The Japanese film Kokuho surpassed ¥20 billion in domestic box office revenue, while Netflix's The Hyper Kaguya-hime! has repeatedly sold out its theatrical screenings, drawing attention to changes in the experiential value of the movie theater business.
Domestic box office revenue reached ¥274.4 billion in 2025, a record high, and Japan's film industry appeared to have staged a recovery. Kokuho has been announced as having surpassed ¥20 billion in domestic box office revenue. Although forecasts immediately after its release put revenue at around ¥2 billion, word of mouth drove box office revenue steadily higher, making it a long-running hit that has remained in the top 10 for an extended period.
Repeat viewers have supported the Kokuho phenomenon. The film ranked ninth the previous week and seventh the week before that, and continues to maintain high attendance. New topics, including its Academy Award nominations, are also said to have had an impact, while the behavior of fans who watch the film repeatedly has been a notable feature.
The animated film The Hyper Kaguya-hime! began streaming on Netflix on 22 January and received a limited one-week theatrical release at 19 theaters nationwide from 20 February. A nationwide phenomenon of screenings filling up from the first day has occurred. As a music-focused work, the film is expected to derive maximum benefit from the viewing experience in a movie theater.
These developments indicate that movie theaters are strengthening not only their value as places to experience new releases for the first time, but also their role as places to repeatedly enjoy familiar works as live experiences. Works such as Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba – Infinity Castle and Chainsaw Man – Reze Arc are also said to be reinforcing the importance of fans experiencing films “live” in theaters.
The global film industry is said to be affected by trends such as major acquisitions, but some observers believe the movie theater business is not obsolete and may become more important in the future. Changes in the filmgoing experience could also become a factor directly affecting the operation of Japan's theater network and the upgrading of its facilities.